'We're so happy and very excited!' Victoria Beckham tweets after announcing she is expecting fourth child as fellow Spice Girls send their congratulations back

They've gone from being the hottest popstars on the planet to the yummiest of mummies - and Victoria Beckham's Spice Girl bandmates were among the first to congratulate her about her pregnancy news.

Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Melanie Brown all tweeted their good wishes to their 36-year-old popstar pal, who announced she's expecting her fourth child on Sunday.

Dancing On Ice star Emma, who's currently pregnant with her second child, gushed: '@victoriabeckham Yeah!!!! Its such brilliant news!!!' followed by mother-of-one Mel C, who posted: 'Absolutely thrilled to hear your news, lots of love to you all x x x' with mother-of-two Mel B Tweeting a brief: 'congrats!!!'

Happy news: David and Victoria kept their heads down as they arrived back at their Hertfordshire mansion last night after announcing they are expecting their fourth child

Thrilled: Victoria took to her Twitter page this morning to thank fans for their well wishes after announcing the news

Emma, 34, has a three-year-old baby
son Beau with partner Jade Jones, and is expecting another baby in May -
despite being diagnosed some years ago with endometriosis, which can
affect women's chances of conceiving.

Mel B, 35, meanwhile was the first
Spice Girl to become a mother when she gave birth to daughter Phoenix in
February 1999, five months after wedding dancer Jimmy Gulzar. They
divorced in 2000.

She then had daughter Angel, three,
after her relationship with Hollywood superstar Eddie Murphy, which
ended before the child arrived.

Happy news: Fellow expectant mother-to-be Emma Bunton was the first Spice Girl to tweet her congratulations to Victoria

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Earlier today, a thrilled Victoria,
who confirmed yesterday she is expecting another baby with husband
David, thanked fans for their good wishes.

She
wrote on her Twitter page: 'Thank u so much for your kind and beautiful
messages!!!we are all so happy and very excited!!!!!!x vb x'

Back to work: David gave photographers the thumbs up as he left the Tottenham Hotspur training ground this afternoon after having a medical

Baby number four: David and Victoria, seen here at a private dinner hosted by Harper's Bazaar in December, have their fingers crossed for a baby girl

Famous friends: Victoria with Samantha Cameron at the British Fashion Awards in December

It is thought the Beckhams are hoping
for a girl to add to their brood after having three boys – Brooklyn,
now 11, Romeo, eight, and Cruz, five.

The baby is expected in the summer, but close friends say the couple do not want to know the sex of the child before it is born.

Beckham posted details on his
Facebook page telling fans and friends: ‘I’ve got great news to tell
you. Victoria and I are expecting a fourth child this summer.

'The boys
are very excited about the arrival of their new brother or sister.’

The couple are understood to have told extended friends and family over the weekend – hosting a celebratory dinner last night.

The former Spice Girl-turned-fashion designer has often hinted at her desire for a daughter.

She said in one interview that should could imagine ‘painting her nails, putting on make-up, and choosing clothes’ with her.

Last year, she said: ‘Everyone keeps
asking me if I would like to have a little girl and I think, at some
point, if I am lucky enough to have another baby, that would be great.

'If I am blessed enough.’

But
in recent months she has been more circumspect – even telling the
forthcoming issue of Vogue in which she is cover star: ‘Maybe one day
another baby, but at this stage I think the chances of a girl are quite
slim.’

Sources
close to Mrs Beckham told the Daily Mail that she plans to work through
as much of her pregnancy as possible insisting it is ‘business as
usual’ – as she has for her previous three.

She will have to have another Caesarean section because of the risks of a natural birth after already having had the operation.

The couple, who have been married for
almost 12 years, have put on a show of unity in recent months after
being dogged by allegations that Beckham had been unfaithful.

Excited: David said the boys - Brooklyn, Cruz and Romeo - are very excited about the prospect of a new sibling

Announcement: Proud father David put the news on his official Facebook page

They filed a lawsuit against a U.S.
magazine that alleged he slept with a prostitute. Beckham has also
denied claims in court papers by the ex-husband of Hollywood jeweller
Shery Shabani that she had an affair with him.

The
couple are in Britain until the end of February while she prepares her
latest collection for fashion week in London and New York, and he trains
with Tottenham Hotspur before returning to the U.S. for the start of
the football season there.

The
couple’s main home is a £14million mansion in Beverly Hills but they
have yet to decide where they will live once his contract with LA Galaxy
expires in November.

Beckham, 35, had been in talks with Tottenham to return on a ten-week loan but the deal fell through.

Pregnant... but still in heels: Victoria and David Beckham at LAX airport on December 27

All wrapped up: Victoria was wearing a thick coat on December 31 as the family joined the Ramsays in California

Speculation
had increased that they would return to the UK after they put on hold
plans to sell their £18million home in Hertfordshire, known as
Beckingham Palace.

The Beckhams met in 1997 and married in 1999. They are now worth an estimated £150million.

Victoria joins former Spice Girl bandmate Emma Bunton in being
pregnant. They were both at Gordon Ramsay's recent Christmas party,
after which Posh drove home.

Congratulations: Kylie Minogue was one of the first celebrities to send her best wishes on Twitter

From one pregnant woman to another: Amanda Holden, who is expecting her second child in March, also sent her congratulations

Maternity style: Victoria when she was pregnant with Cruz in 2004

Among the first to congratulate the fashion designer was Kylie Minogue,
who wrote on her Twitter page: 'WOW... congratulations to Victoria
Beckham and David... fourth child on the way.'

TV presenter Amanda Holden, who is pregnant with her second child, added: 'Great news that the Beckhams are expecting their fourth child. Hope they get a pink one!'

While the Beckhams' long-term business partner Simon Fuller said: 'I'm absolutely thrilled for them. Family means everything to David and Victoria and this is simply the best news they and the boys could have wished for at the start of 2011.'

Last month, David spoke publicly of his love for his wife after
winning the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sports Personality of the
Year Awards.

He said: 'Of course, I want to thank my wife and my
children. Not only has she given me three amazing boys... she is truly
an inspiration for me every single day.'

In the audience
alongside her three boys, Victoria struggle to hold back the tears as
her husband received the prestigious honour.

Within hours of the announcement, bookmakers Paddy Power were already taking bets on the unborn child's name.

Among the most popular bets were Sandra - David's mother's name - and David Jnr, with 10/1 and 21/1 odds respectively.

Some of the wackier suggestions were for Pele with 200/1 and Galaxy at 200/1.